Similes and Metaphors
Written by Adi Ackerman, Head Teacher
"Similes and Metaphors" is written for 4th Grade (Ages 9-10), and it covers Common Core L.4.5.A. If your little one is a year younger but already steady here, the page still works. You may just need to read the instructions out loud. And if they are older and figurative language never quite stuck, this is a short review rather than busywork.


4th grade vocabulary worksheet: underline the two things compared in each sentence and label it a simile or a metaphor. Answer key included. Part of our figurative language collection. Aligned to Common Core standards.
How do I use this worksheet?
Read each sentence aloud and ask what picture it puts in your head, then what it really means. Point out figurative language in a bedtime book after each page. Check answers with the key.
What students will practice
- Students will identify similes and metaphors and name the two things compared.
- Students will explain the real meaning of common idioms.
- Students will recognize personification and hyperbole in sentences.
Curriculum Links
Common Core State Standards
Language · 4th Grade
Standard: Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.
View all L.4.5.A worksheets →Find this in the curriculum
Browse the grade, subject, and topic this belongs to.
FAQ
How do I use this figurative language worksheet?
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Read each sentence aloud and ask what picture it puts in your head, then what it really means. Point out figurative language in a bedtime book after each page. Check answers with the key.
What does this worksheet teach?
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Underline the two things compared in each sentence and label it a simile or a metaphor. " A metaphor compares two things by saying one thing is another. The directions on the page read: Underline the two things being compared. Then, circle Simile or Metaphor. The page opens with a worked example, and the answer key shows every answer.
Can I use this figurative language worksheet for homeschool or classroom?
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Yes, both. We made it for 4th Grade figurative language, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.
What figurative language do 4th graders learn?
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CCSS L.4.5.A covers explaining simple similes and metaphors, and L.4.5.B covers common idioms, adages and proverbs. Many 4th grade classes also teach personification and hyperbole because they show up constantly in stories and poems.
How do 4th graders tell a simile from a metaphor?
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A simile compares two things using like or as (Mia ran like the wind). A metaphor says one thing is another (The classroom was a zoo). Both compare, but only the simile uses a signal word.
How do I explain hyperbole to my child?
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Hyperbole is an exaggeration nobody is meant to believe, like I could eat a horse. Ask your child what the speaker really means: they are very hungry. The hyperbole sheet asks for exactly that.
Is there an answer key for each worksheet?
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Yes. Each figurative language sheet has an answer key, with sample answers for the explain-it questions.
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Worksheet Details
| Grade | 4th Grade |
| Subject | Vocabulary |
| Topic | Figurative Language |
| Standard | L.4.5.A |
| Pages | 1 page |
| Difficulty | Medium |
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